Casanova and the Florentine Countess – Excerpt 7

Falcone stood, then sat down again, I have an Inclination that he was about to accuse me of cheating, but how could he without implicating himself. After all the marked deck was his, or if not his, he was certainly familiar with it. So he let it go, and so did I. The time to expose him was coming, but only when I was ready too.

The game continued and Falcone kept winning steadily, confident that my win must have been a fluke rather than skilful play, I was happy to keep losing, I wanted to lull him in to a false sense of security. I knew that his arrogance and overconfidence would bring about his downfall.

I was content, I had been feeling my way around the pack, I now had a reasonable idea of how they were marked and which cards were the highest, I was biding my time waiting for my turn to deal. Then I would wipe that self confident smirk of Falcone’s face. Once and for all.

When my turn to deal came around again, I dealt myself all the highest spades, which were then declared as trumps. No matter how the play went, I was certain to win all five tricks. The first trick was played and on my turn, I trumped it with the fante ( jack ) of Spades. ‘My trick I believe Signori’ I said, placing the cards in front of me.

It was my lead so I led the Cavello ( horse of Spades) The other players knew they had no chance of beating my hand. ‘My trick again, I do believe!’ I said once more stacking the cards in front of me. The other players looked a trifle perplexed but Falcone looked as if he were ready to attack me. He would soon give himself away.

I led again, this time the Queen, Falcone almost leapt out of his chair. ‘Signori, you are cheating, you are robbing me and my friends.’ ‘Sit down Falcone, and listen well,’I said in the most menacing voice I could muster, ‘I admit I was cheating, but I was using a marked deck, the same deck that you were using when I joined the game, I ask you Signori’s how could I have cheated with your own marked deck!’

(C) Damian Grange 2017

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Published by Orvillewrong

"I am well read, fairly well travelled, maybe not as many stamps on my passport as I would like. Young at Heart, Always! I like Military history. I Love Life`s variable, colour, character are potential events to record for posterity!!
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How could he have cheated with Falcone’s own marked deck? He admitted it. A better question would be, How could he have won? Arrogance and overconfidence. Get him to confess! Waiting for the next excerpt … (fine writing).

The reason he exposed the deck, was to find out if Falcone or all of the 4 were complicit, if it comes to violence its easier if the other 3 are neutral, thank you so much for your comments and compliments!

The idea was to bring it to the attention of Falcone’s friends to find if they were involved or not. If they are not involved, Casanova only has to face down Falcone not the four of them. All I can offer is that it seemed to make sense as I was writing it.

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Introduction

Hello everyone, I’m Malcolm Marsh or Malkie which I prefer a 74yrs old aspiring author from Nottingham. England. I have been writing for pleasure for many years and now I would like to pass on some of that pleasure to others. I write various styles under several pseudonyms. In my earlier years I was a musician and music still plays a major part in my life, I have a varied and eclectic taste, I often write with musical backing I find it stimulates my creative parts